War Memories
by Kovanne
Summary: Rose lived through the horrors of the Eugenics Wars, and had to relive them with Khan's return. But the former Dictator and his 72 followers return, and the Federation is set to fight one of the biggest threats it has ever faced. First fan fic. Contains swearing and violence. Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. Don't hesitate to review, I love the feedback! :-)


Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this franchise. Now, enjoy :-)

 **BEIJING, CHINA, GREAT KHANATE, 1995**

 _A muffled bang._

 _The walls shake._

 _Dust scatters on people's heads. Some whimper, some scream, some mutter prayers._

 _It is almost pitch black, save for the lantern swinging dangerously on the wall, casting a dim glow across the tightly-packed shelter. Rose can easily see the sea of black hair (16 years old and already six foot. Augments really did sprout), like black berries in a bowl. Or shriveled prunes. There are a few grey exceptions- well, miracles, as it was a godsend to survive past 30 these days. Many died from many reasons: radiation poisoning, rogue bullets or missiles, ambushes, torture, cholera. She figured that radiation was the worst, because it made the strongest people weak. There was no chance, no cure once you were unlucky or stupid enough to find yourself near a "nuclear ditch", as many elegantly put it. Big brother was strong. Hell, brave even. And even though he faced death with a salute she could not rid her mind of the image of his shriveled, weakened body, tucked under a thin and torn blanket in the corner. The infirmary was already full, and yet one of the Resistance leaders insisted on being treated like the rest. He died with humility. But honor? She wasn't so sure of that. She wished she could be sure: brother was all about honor._

 _Foot steps. The sounds bounce from the ceiling. Only Rose can detect the clicking of their guns._

 _"The soldiers are coming. They're coming for us." A woman- Xia - mutters shakily. She begins to weep. Her husband shushes her. Everyone else is silent. Their throats to clasped tight as they dare not utter a word._

 _"They won't find us, love. Don't worry." He encloses her hand with his. "We're hidden away. So safe. Soundproof with secured doors."_

 _If she could hear the Augments, then the Augments can sure as hell hear them. She decided to not mention this flaw. Instead:_

 _"Quiet, everyone. They might go away."_

 _The couple and a few others immediately stop whispering._

 _The footsteps fade away. Rose can feel people's postures relax. Hands slip away from their holsters. Sighs._

 _Then hell breaks loose. The door is smashed down like a plank of wood, flattening those who stood by it before. Light floods the shelter and people wince. 5 Augments storm the room, ruthlessly crushing the skulls of the trapped humans as they trudge over the door. The squadron leader- Paul Ebeid, she recalls- raises his gun and aims it. Behind him are his croonies, decked out in white and belts of grenades, knives, and magazines. Their eyes scan the squealing crowds, cold as the stone from the very buildings they demolish. Eyes that were once full of life bur broken down by scientists with a twisted sense of peace. He begins to fire, spraying the room and people with bullets. Waves of people collapse in heaps of agony and blood spills onto the floor. Panic sets in and people helplessly scramble for cover despite the cramped conditions. They jostle her from all directions, and the husband and wife fall, bleeding holes protruding from inbetween their eyes. Paul always was a good shooter._

 _Rose snaps her attention away from the couple and charges forward, managing to knock the gun out of Paul's hands before kicking him in the solar plexis, sending him flying back against his comrades. Su and Ralph aim at her and shoot. Rose twists to the right, having barely any time to register the bullets whistling past her ear before Paul recovers and throws himself at her, roaring. Rose lands on her back, the force unpleasantly dulled by the floor of bodies. The others resume shooting down the Resistance and space within the shelter begins to grow._

 _"You bitch. I should've killed you when I had the chance." Paul rasps and locks his hands around her neck. "Traitorous whor-"_

 _Rose knees him in chest and he coughs blood on her face. She pushes him aside, stands up, and delivers a fatal heel to the temple. His fellow Augments grab her by the arms and haul her outside, where she is bombarded by the stench of burnt flesh and rubber, overwhelming her nostrils. A sickening combination. The camp was been decimated, many of the abandoned buildings used for Resistance facilities caved in. Bodies of both Augments and humans are littered across the gravel. In the distance, a helicopter bearing the eye of the Khan circles a smoking office block. She struggled against their grip, managing to break Ralph's shin, but they gain control and force her onto her knees. Coldness sprouts from her temple. The barrel of a gun. Rose flicks her eyes towards Su, those almond orbs stare into her. A bruise is forming on her olive cheek and escaped strands of chocolate hang over her face._

 _"You killed Paul!" She snarls. "When our Great Leader finds out about this, you will pay the ultimate price."_

 _Rose scoffs. "Killing me will do nothing- the Resistance will continue to bring you down. Torturing me will do nothing- pain is temporary, and it is not enough to make me speak. In the name of the Resistance, I will die with loyalty and honor."_

 _Ralph murmurs into his radio. The helicopter nears, eventually landing a ten yards away. Gravel scatters across the bodies and the more depraved ones roll back a few inches. Out steps a man, drowned in a bright red suit and heavy black belt. The buckle is gold and is decorated with the eye. He is handsome and tall, at the height not normal for an Indian- 6ft 5in- thanks to Augment DNA. His long, midnight locks are pinned back behind his head, making him resemble the ancient princes she encountered in the old archives. A charming smile with slightly crinkled eyes is permanently screwed onto his face, as if he wasn't about to decapitate you, which was usually the case. Khan._

 _He walks over, sizing her up. Then the dark eyes flicker to Paul's body, visible from the doorway. His eyebrows rise. He is impressed._

 _Khan doesn't look away from Paul. "I must say, Rosenna, you really had a lot going for you."_

 _She doesn't respond._

 _He chuckles. "Paul was one of our best fighters, on par with me on his best days. You could've been like him."_

 _"A murderer, then?" Rose spits out._

 _"In that sense, you are already like him. Murder is murder, and you killed him. In cold blood, I can see."_

 _"FUCKER!" She shouts, struggling against Su and Ralph. But their grip is so strong that only her knees manage to move, grinding against the rock._

 _Khan tuts. "Language, my dear. I don't think your parents taught you to swear- that reminds me of something: where_ _ **are**_ _your parents?"_

 _"I'm not telling you."_

 _"Can't or won't?"_

 _"Both."_

 _"Both?"_

 _"Anyone with half a brain wouldn't tell lower ranks of the Resistance about their secret locations. You know that."_

 _"Now I do."_

 _"And now you know I can't tell jack."_

 _"We'll see about that."_

 _He nods at them, and the pair roughly haul Rose to her feet. She is frogmarched to the helicopter and shoved into a seat. They sit opposite her, and throughout the journey their guns remind pointed at her. Khan sits at the front beside the pilot, dead silent. Rose sees no escape for now, instead choosing to gaze out of the window for the trip. Soon the wasteland of Beijing disappears and they fly over quilts of former farms, then the mountains. She wonders why they didn't bother to knock her out until she realises with dread that they won't need to. She isn't escaping any time soon._

 _Or at all._


End file.
